Forward Sammie Szmodics could be involved at Aston Villa on Saturday after the ankle problem he aggravated at Coventry last weekend proved to be less serious than feared, but Conor Chaplin is still at least a week away from a return.

Szmodics was back in the side for last week’s 4-1 FA Cup win at the CBS Arena but was forced off in the first half having hurt the ankle which had kept him out for the previous month.

However, McKenna says the problem isn’t serious and the former Blackburn man will be assessed ahead of the trip to Villa Park.

“Conor Chaplin’s still not going to be available,” McKenna said. “Sam Szmodics, thankfully, the ankle injury he had a recurrence of last week hasn’t been too serious, so he’s going to be a judgement call tomorrow whether he’s going to play against Aston Villa or not.”

Regarding Chaplin, who has been out with his knee injury since the end of December, the Blues boss said: “A few little setbacks. With an MCL [medial collateral ligament] injury, which it is, you can get that.

“We’ve had experience of them here for the last few years and you can get to the very, very last bit of your rehab but there are a few actions or few movements which can sometimes stir it up.

“He’s had a slightly different course of treatment this week to see if that can accelerate it a little bit because he’s not quite been able to make that last hurdle, so they’ve gone in a slightly different direction this week and fingers crossed he’ll be back with the group next week.”

McKenna was pleased to give new keeper Alex Palmer his debut at Coventry and was pleased with the ex-West Brom man’s display.

“He did well, did everything you’d want, really,” he said. “He had to pick the ball out of the net probably with his first touch, which is never ideal, but nothing he could do on that.

“But after that, he communicated well with the backline, he distributed well and he made some good saves.

“It was the perfect game to bring him into and he’s trained well this week as well.”

Asked whether Palmer would be handed his Premier League debut against Villa, McKenna was keeping his cards close to his chest.

“It’s a possibility,” he said. “It gives us a stronger department. With Christian [Walton] out it gives us Alex and Aro [Muric] and Cieran Slicker, two more experienced goalkeepers, one younger goalkeeper but it gives us the type of options we want and we’ll pick what we think is right for each game.”

Photo: Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Bluewhiteboy added 15:04 - Feb 13 Interesting article on bbc the teams who have had the most players involved in prem games are us and saints. Showing the issues with an unsettled team. Would love to see the gaffer stick with an 11, clearly exceptions for injuries and suspensions but constantly changing 4 or 5 players a game then full rotation full cups I am sure have caused teb reasons why we are heading out of promised land

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 15:19 - Feb 13 Glad Szmodics is close to being available.
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Woolfenthen added 15:22 - Feb 13 I'll be dumbfounded if Muric plays on Saturday
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IP9 added 16:44 - Feb 13 I'm looking forward to Chappers being back. IMO still our best no.10 (although Enciso may beat him to that on first impressions) and we look so much more cohesive when he plays.
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Writtleblue added 10:14 - Feb 14 Please don't play Muric.
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